Better Than Sweet Snow
by YamiReigen
Summary: Hiei finds the one thing better than sweet snow. First fanfic, no flames PLEASE. major out of characterness. T just to be safe. Wrote as a result of being up since 1:00am


Better Than Sweet Snow

Thunder roared in the distance, ruby red eyes not missing the minute glance from deep emerald green. A brow arched at the lack of greeting from the red head crouched over a paper resting on the old oak desk before the other. "Hn," Hiei grunted, watching the other straighten to flash a smile. "Forgive me Hiei, I was reviewing a letter I was sending Yomi," Kurama replied calmly, turning back to the paper so his hair blocked Hiei from seeing his silent snarl. He never saw the hurt flash in Hiei's eyes, though he did hear the uneasy shifting before Hiei took his seat at the windowsill. Emerald green eyes glanced momentarily at the younger fire demon, just long enough the other wouldn't notice. He knew speaking of Yomi upset Hiei, which is why he had been trying to finish before the other would arrive, but as he believed he would fail from the very beginning, he had something special in his freezer to cheer Hiei up. Putting the letter in an envelope that he would give to either Botan or Yusuke later, he turned to see Hiei watching the steadily falling rain beating against the window. "Would you like some ice cream, Hiei?" he asked, watching the other perk up and having to hold in a chuckle. "Sweet snow?" Hiei asked, completely forgetting his tough guy act at the mention of his favorite treat. "Hai," Kurama smiled, walking out of the room and out into the kitchen with a eager Hiei following close behind.

Kurama had moved out of his mother's home only a little over three years ago, having taken up Yukina's offer to move into a cabin they had built in the forest not too far from the temple-only a ten minute walk. Hiei, though, for whatever reason still refused to use the door unless he was visiting Yukina, so he wouldn't scare her even though she knew he tends to prefer the window. Kurama chuckled, shaking his head as he got a bowl out and the ice cream from his freeze, spooning a generous amount into the bowl before handing it and the spoon to the young fire demon. Hiei happily ate the frozen treat, watching Kurama put everything away before the elder leaned back against the counter. "You know Hiei, your sweet snow can be turned into a cake too," Kurama smirked, watching Hiei stare at him confusedly. "Hn?" Hiei asked, refusing to take the spoon full of sweet snow from his mouth. "Cake," Kurama repeated, opening a cookbook to show Hiei a picture of the foreign treat, "It's a treat that a lot of people have to celebrate the holidays or someone's birthday." "Hn, why celebrate someone's birth?" Hiei muttered, vaguely remembering watching families back in makai do something similar, though he'd never understood it. "It celebrates their survival of another year," Kurama explained, using an example that the younger could understand, "You'd want to celebrate Yukina surviving another year among humans wouldn't you?" Kurama smirked as Hiei's eyes widened, suddenly seeming to realize that he had never actually attended his sister's birthday parties, never celebrated her survival in the ningenkai. "Hn," Hiei muttered, shoving the now empty bowl towards Kurama, who simply smiled and took the bowl. "I can take you shopping for a present for Yukina in Makai tomorrow if you'd like Hiei," Kurama smiled, knowing the other was feeling guilty over neglecting his sister, "I have some business to attend to before mother comes over for dinner either way."

Hiei perked up again at the thought of seeing Shiori again, Kurama smiling at the thought. Nearly two months before Kurama had moved out Shiori had witnessed them fighting a demon not far from Kurama's home. Instead of being horrified at the four being covered in blood, she had gasped and run over to Hiei, fawning over his cuts and bruises like a mother hen. Hiei had controlled his natural reflex to move away from Shiori when he had received Kurama's pleading glance for him to just bare with it. It was the first time Hiei had ever been fused over like a child with a paper cut, and though he would never admit it aloud, he liked Shiori treating him like her own child. Kurama had simply been shocked that she had taken Hiei, Yusuke, and himself being demons in stride, merely demanding to see his Yoko form. Even Hiei had laughed when she had made him stoop to her height, and then promptly pulled his ears just to "see if they were attached." Yusuke and Kuwabara had taken off running when Kurama had leveled them with a glare, albeit an embarrassed, withering glare. Ever since then Shiori had demanded that she be kept inform on what was really going on, and be invited to birthdays and other celebrations. "We'll leave in the morning so we still have time to prepare dinner before two o'clock alright?" Kurama smiled, watching Hiei nod, his lip twitching in a barely controlled smile.

The next morning the pair were up and racing through the forest to the portal several miles from the house, Hiei's eyes widening when Kurama lagged behind and a grinning Yoko Kurama ran by him. "Damn fox!" Hiei snarled, running by the taller demon before the fox passed him up again. It was simply a game to the older demon, a game of riling the younger demon up. Kurama kept his pace up until a mere ten feet from the portal, Hiei never noticing until he was already running through. Kurama smirked as he walked through the portal, immediately using his rose whip to block Hiei's sword. Hiei cursed as he was thrown back, shifting to land on his feet and simply settle for snarling at the other. He knew Kurama was simply trying to get a rise from him; it just made him angrier that he had fallen for it so easily. Kurama smiled coyly, "I'll get you some sweet snow when we get home." He began walking off, Hiei's bad mood melting away as he followed the other. After several minutes, Hiei was looking around in confusion. He knew the way to the market from the temple's portal, but by all means, they were walking in the opposite direction. "Hn," he huffed, looking at Kurama only to receive a sly grin and see a glint in the other's gold eyes; a glint he wasn't too sure he liked. After several more minutes, Hiei yelped when he was hoisted off his feet and thrown over a shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "What the hell fox!" he growled, struggling and yanking at Kurama's long silver hair. "Apologies Hiei, but I don't feel like risking such a young kit's life reaching our destination," Kurama chuckled, looking back over his shoulder grinning tauntingly at Hiei, "Now either you settle for being carried like this, or I carry you the other way."

Kurama's grin widened when Hiei continued to struggle, easily flipping the smaller back over his shoulder to carry him bridal style. Hiei stopped struggling as the position he was in finally sunk in, his face turning a lovely shade of red that simply turned Kurama's grin into a smirk. Hiei barely noticed the intricate way Kurama danced down the pathways, though he did notice the way the plants leaned towards them. He huffed when they reached a bare cliff wall, glaring up at Kurama, "Dead end, fox." Kurama flashed another grin, shifting Hiei and finally setting the smaller demon down as he gingerly drug his clawed fingers across the stone, grinning and forcing his youkai through a crack too small to see. Moving quickly, he yanked Hiei out of the way as the stone began to crumble, watching the other's eyes widen at the thick wall of vines moving away from where they had been supporting the stones. Several lantern plants lit the way down the seemingly endless tunnel, Kurama grinned as he began pushing a still stunned Hiei ahead of him. Hiei growled as he finally snapped out of it, moving away from Kurama's reach and walking ahead. Kurama simply chuckled, following the younger as the vines moved the rocks and themselves back into place. It was so much fun to tease the young fire demon, even if the other still had no clue why he was teasing him. If everything continued to go according to plan, he'd make sure the other realized it by tomorrow evening; just a little longer.

Hiei paused when he reached the main den, his eyes widening at the mass of neatly sorted treasures covering the walls and going back through one of the halls. "Pick any of the treasures you like, dragon," Kurama purred in the smaller's ear, smiling coyly when he jumped. Hiei glared at him, not noticing the red dusting covering his cheeks as he stormed off through the den. Kurama smiled as he walked down a separate hall, disappearing within the maze of halls and doors. He wasn't worried about Hiei becoming lost; he could find him by his scent with little to no problem in this den. It was, after all, his favorite den. He knew the maze and pathways better than the back of his hand, and one room in particular held an item specially suited for his dragon. Walking into the last room at the first of many dead ends, he grinned at the site of a katana proudly gleaming in the light of the lantern plants. The hilt itself was rose red, a black dragon stitched intricately into the design so it wouldn't effect the wielder's hold, then the dragon seemed to come to life as onyx black jewels emerged from the fabric to coil around a few times before the head emerged. The head itself was the same onyx black, with ruby eyes, and a black emerging from its mouth to resembling the appearance of a cloud of smoke; oh yes, his dragon was going to adore this. Kurama chuckled at the thought, knowing at even if Hiei never used a different katana, he had started quite the collection, if for nothing else than to entertain Shiori's habit of giving him old traditional swords as presents.

Meanwhile, Hiei was carefully moving through the halls and scanning the shelves for a gift for his sister. He had calmed down a few minutes after leaving Kurama behind in the main den, though he had unfortunately forgotten to watch what paths he had taken. He wasn't worried though, he could find the stupid fox with the jagan if the other didn't find him first. He paused when he reached another opening, blinking slowly at the crown sitting on the pedestal in the center of the small room. Looking around, he mildly noted that the entire room was filled with jewelry of some shape or form. He wondered around the surrounding shelves for a few minutes, pausing again at a necklace of a red rose that's center morphed into the head of a fox. There was a similar one next to it, only this one was a smoky black color. Blushing lightly at the thought of a certain fox they reminded him off, he quietly pocketed the two necklaces and wondered over to the crown to study it a little closer. It was the same blue color as her kimono, with different shapes and sizes of blue diamonds decorating it with a single sapphire in the shape of a heart in the center. 'The princess of ice,' he thought to himself, giving a small smile as he gingerly picked the crown up, imagining the crown atop his twin's head. "The Glacier Crown?" Kurama smirked, walking over with the sword hidden from Hiei's sight in a box he had found in another room. Hiei looked back at him, nodding lightly, suppressing a chill when Kurama shot him a knowing grin. "What's in your pocket, Hiei?" Kurama grinned, watching the smaller demon blush and pull the two necklaces out of his pocket. "Those?" Kurama smirked, "They were the first thing I ever stole." He took them from Hiei's grasp, not missing the disappointment that flashed within ruby orbs at loosing the treasures. "Hmm, how about a compromise," Kurama smirked, taking the black one and setting it down before slipping the red necklace around Hiei's neck. He took the black one and slipped it around his own neck with a smile, "You wear the red one, and I'll wear the black one." The shit eating grin that spread across Kurama's face went unnoticed by Hiei as he turned a bright shade of red and stormed off in the direction the fox had come from. Kurama held back the urge to laugh as he followed the other back out.

Later that even Hiei was red as a cherry as Shiori fused over him, even going so far as to lick her thumb to clean a smudge she swore she saw on his cheek. "Mother," Kurama chuckled, trying to hide his grin behind his hand, "I think Hiei's cleaned up enough." "But I can't help it!" Shiori whined playfully, hugging Hiei and nuzzling his hair, "I have so many years to catch up on babying Hiei!" Hiei simply huffed, still blushing brightly as Kurama set their plates in front of them. Hiei quickly began eating, attempting to banish the blush from his face while Kurama distracted his mother. "So Keiko asked me to tutor Yusuke since he refuses to pay attention to his classes," Kurama started, successful dragging his mother's attention away from poor Hiei. "She's giving up after all?" Shiori mused, looking mildly amused at the thought of her son trying to tutor Yusuke, in culinary arts of all subjects. "That seems to be the case, he doesn't understand why he can't simply use his spirit gun to cook raw meat," Kurama explained, turning to Hiei when the other started coughing, apparently having come close to choking on his food. He wasn't very concerned though since Hiei calmed down after a few seconds, settling for the occasional cough for a little while longer. "Seems he doesn't have the patience for cooking," Shiori mused, worriedly watching Hiei through the corner of her eye before she got an idea, "Why don't you teach him the way you and Hiei had to learn in Makai?" It was Kurama's turn to nearly choke on his food this time, looking incredulously at his mother. "What?" Shiori grinned, Hiei starting to believe Kurama got the fox grin from his human mother, not because he really is a fox, "So what if he has all of those monks to serve him, take him somewhere he won't be pampered. You'd just be watching over him, not helping him. Let him learn the hard way if he doesn't want to listen." Hiei's eye twitched slightly as he stared at Shiori, "Fox, I think she's more insane than you." "Oh course, I'm his mother," Shiori grinned, getting up to clean up all of the plates, "Don't worry, I'll rub off on you too." And for the first time after meeting Kuwabara, Hiei was worried for the little sanity he still had left…

The night had come and gone as Kurama and Hiei began their walk to the temple, Hiei wanting to take his sweet time as Shiori had successfully made him worried about going to his sister's party. He had honestly never given a second thought to the fact that it was his birthday as well, meaning they'd be celebrating his survival along with Yukina's. Him, the forbidden child, the child thrown from his own home and left for dead, to say he was on edge would be an understatement. "Relax Hiei," Kurama smiled, "There'll be sweet snow when we get their after you and Yukina open your presents." Kurama grinned when Hiei perked up at the mention of his favorite frozen treat, holding back a laugh as Hiei began running as fast as he dared with his sister's present in the brightly colored box in his hands. He quickly caught up to the other, changing into his yoko form to humor Yukina's request that him and Yusuke come in their demon forms. If only because she liked how funny Yusuke was when he had the long hair and liked how high she was when he'd give her piggyback rides in his yoko form. Kurama shook his head when he and Hiei arrived at the temple, Hiei glancing back at him before knocking on the temple door. "Hiei!" Yukina squeaked as she opened the door, quickly hugging her brother as if he'd vanish in a heartbeat. He grunted lightly, gingerly hugging her back while keeping the present safe at his side. Her eyes gleamed as she saw the brightly colored box, Kuwabara and Yusuke walking out just in time to see the two siblings in a game of "keep away."

Kurama hid his grin behind his hand and he shook with silent laughter, Yusuke and Kuwabara quickly collapsing against each other in uncontrolled laughter. Hiei growled as he glared at the three of them, Yukina stealing the present from him while he wasn't looking-though they both knew he let her have it. Botan peeked around the corner to see what the commotion was, attempting to run when she saw Kurama in his yoko form until he stopped her, "Ah Botan, I need you to deliver a letter." "A letter?" she squeaked, "To who?" "An old stalker," Kurama snorted, handing Botan an envelope, "This should make sure he gives up, and do try not to snoop." Botan's eyes widened as she quickly took the letter, nodding and hiding the letter in her pocket. She didn't want to relive what had happened when she had accidentally told Yukina that her brother was Hiei, a _very_ angry Yoko Kurama had gotten to her long before Hiei ever had the chance. She shivered at the thought; she still had nightmares of being chased like a rabbit by Kurama when he was in a torturous mood. After several minutes the two twins finally came inside, Hiei taking his seat on the bay window with his sister sitting opposite him. Yukina was attempting not to bounce in her seat and rip into her present, waiting until Kuwabara handed her brother his present before giving in and tearing at the wrapping paper. Hiei followed her actions calmly, blinking as he pulled an entire outfit-even a coat for winters. "So you have something when you come to visit if you want to go with Yukina shopping," Kuwabara grinned. "Hn," Hiei grunted, unable to think of a decent insult for a idea that actually made sense, even if he did hate all ningens except Shiori. The two other humans he associated with acted more like demons than humans when you made them angry.

Hiei's attention was stolen by Yukina nearly strangling him in a bear hug and she squealed in joy, "Oh thank you Hiei!" He smiled minutely as he saw the crown on Yukina's head, reminding him of the ice princess that fool treated her like, though he'd be damned to say the idiot was doing something right. Yusuke was the next to steal the twins' attention, handing each of them a box as they quickly repeated their earlier actions of tearing into the boxes. Yukina giggled at the book she hugged to her chest, a children's fairytale called Rapunzel that she had adored since Keiko had first introduced her to ningen fairy tails. Hiei simply blinked at the stack of papers in the box, Kurama leaning over to read them. He grinned as he quickly explained the present to Hiei, "They're tickets to get free sweet snow from that shop I took you to during your last visit." Hiei grinned at the thought of more sweet snow, Kurama swearing if the younger had a tail it'd be going faster than he could run. "My turn!" Shiori yelled, walking into the room with a sweet smile and a present in each arm. "Yukina dear, this is from Kurama and I, since he helped me pick it out," she smiled, handing Yukina her give first before handing the other present to Hiei. Yukina squealed in joy again, bouncing up and quickly having Shiori put a necklace on for her before hugging both her and Kurama. Hiei glanced from the new sword he had been studying to see a necklace nearly identical to the crown he had given her, smiling minutely at how happy his sister seemed to be. "Now, this is from me Hiei," Kurama smiled, handing the box he had been holding to Hiei. Hiei glanced at him suspiciously, opening the box to reveal the sword Kurama had snuck from his den in the same box. Hiei's eyes widened as he looked over the sword, looking up at Kurama in shock, only for his eyes to widen further when his lips sealed over Kurama's. He felt the fox smirk into the kiss, pulling away instead of deepening the kiss to see disappointment flash minutely through the young fire demon's ruby orbs. "Happy birthday Hiei," Kurama smiled, walking into the kitchen and leaving the still stunned fire demon to recover.

It had all gone according to plan, though he had wished he could have continued without harming Hiei's pride further. While Hiei wasn't paying attention, Kurama had lean over just far enough so that they would meet in a kiss when he looked up at him. He had shot warning glances at Yusuke and Kuwabara, knowing they would attempt to pick on the other under the protection that Yukina and Shiori being in the room provided. He frowned lightly when he saw a blushing Hiei in the corner of his eye, turning to the smaller demon with a smile. "Ready for your sweet snow Hiei?" he asked gently, frowning when the other shook his head, "Then what-" Kurama's eyes widened when he suddenly found Hiei's lips back over his own, the smaller using the counter to hold himself up. He smiled into the kiss, wrapping his arms around his dragon tightly until Hiei broke the kiss this time, still blushing. "You're better than sweet snow," Hiei muttered, Kurama smiling as he kissed the other's forehead, "Whatever you say, dragon."


End file.
